Yodel-lay-heeeee-whooooooo!

What better encapsulates the Fourth of July than Heidi dresses? That's what I thought: nothing. My grandmother, Grandma Annette, went to Switzerland and about eleven other countries last month despite needing foot surgery so she can walk. This woman is tough. TOUGH. You cannot even imagine how tough she is. For one thing, she raised this man: 

She is TOUGH.

Great Grandma brought her great grandkids back so many souvenirs I think she had to fill out two customs forms. But she had a good time and boy, did she get some cute things! And since she went to Switzerland, she got Heidi dresses for my girls and for her other great granddaughters who live in Florida. Good thing they weren't all together; I don't think the universe could handle this much cuteness.

GG1 was not cooperative about wearing the Heidi dress; hmmmm, I wonder from which parent this trait came? (Hint: my own grandmother, Miss Moo, had to lock me in a dressing room when I was 13 or 14 before I would finally choose a dress for Easter. And that was just the dress. You should have seen me when it came time for shoes.) Anyway, I was about to pay her $5 to put on the dress for pictures when GH said, "Why don't you wear your hair like Princess Leia?" And instantly, all was right with the world.

Help me, Obi-wan, you're my only hope. Bring me a change of clothes because I hate this dress.

There ya go. Guess who her mother is.

GG2 was of course delighted to put on the dress. I took so many pictures of her my camera was smokin'. GG3 was unaware that she could be uncooperative....she was just happy to be a part of the action.

MOS is sobbing here because he did not want his picture taken. He did not get a Heidi dress, for which I am grateful. But he did get a hat and T shirt from Venice, which I was trying to capture in this shot. However, his tears prevented him from joining in with the camaraderie of souvenir pictures. After I took this pic he leaned his giant head against the tree for support, he was so wrung out from crying. He was then excused.

Here we have GG3, who GH calls Tiny, so perhaps that should be her new blog name. Tiny was making her ooooooooo face at a leaf that Key was waving about.

Here is GG2, Mama's Precious Love, who cooperates beautifully up to and including having her hair done. Thanks, kid. 

Great Grandma brought GH a hat and shirt, too, and he wanted that fact recorded. Tiny did not want her Daddy to be in the picture, I guess because he wasn't wearing a Heidi dress, so this is the only one I got where she is not sobbing. 

And it's my girls, for the win! Way to go, girls! Most artfully posed picture in the world! Good job! Mama's proud of you! Next stop, the Alps!